Jan Olek

Jan Olek is the James H. and Carol H. Cure Professor in Civil and Construction Engineering at Purdue University's College of Engineering. His research focuses on sustainable construction materials, alkali-activated binders, 3D-printed concrete, and material durability. He leads studies on ASR mitigation, carbonation-activated cements, and novel pozzolans. His work integrates material science with engineering applications, addressing challenges like freeze-thaw resistance and mechanical performance of advanced composites.

Key interests include:

• Cement chemistry and carbonation activation
• 3D printing of architectured materials
• Nano-additive effects on durability
• Alkali-silica reaction mechanisms

His recent articles emphasize sustainable materials innovation, additive manufacturing, and durability assessment through advanced characterization techniques like microtomography. Research trends highlight environmental resilience, scalability of novel binders, and process optimization for industrial applications.

Awards and recognitions are listed under institutional records. His advising focuses on graduate students in civil engineering and materials science, with grants supporting concrete durability, 3D printing R&D, and sustainable infrastructure projects. Current lab activities include the Purdue Extreme Sustainability Initiative and advanced concrete printing systems.